이 페이지는 한국어로도 있어요.한국어로 보기
Fewmoves
한국어

Openings 1.e4 e5: open games

King’s Gambit: Accepted, Declined, Traps and Stats by Rating

2.f4 offers a pawn to pull Black’s e-pawn away from the center and open the f-file. It is the most romantic opening in chess, and below 2000 it wins a lot of quick games for both sides.

For White1.e4 e5 2.f4Seen in 1.5% of rated games

Lichess rating

C30King's Gambit

Games from this position (1600–1999): 121k

  1. 1.
  2. 2.
MovePlayedGamesWhite · Draw · Black
42%50k51%46%
23%27k52%45%
13%16k54%42%
13%16k47%50%
3%4,11749%48%
2%2,80551%46%
1%1,51752%45%
0.6%77966%30%
0.5%61248%48%
0.4%48157%40%
Practice as WhitePractice as Black

Plans for both sides

White

  • After 2...exf4, play 3.Nf3 to stop ...Qh4+ and prepare d4 and Bc4.
  • Aim at f7 with Bc4, castle, and use the half-open f-file.
  • If Black holds the pawn with ...g5, h4 breaks the chain.

Black

  • 2...exf4 is the critical answer; 3...d6, 3...g5 or 3...d5 are all good.
  • Declining with 2...Bc5 is safe and stops White from castling easily.
  • Your king is safe as long as you strike back in the center with ...d5 or ...d6.

Advertisement

King’s Gambit at each rating

How often the position after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.

RatingGames (Share of games)White · Draw · BlackTop next move
<120024k0.8%52%45%2...exf444%
1200–159988k1.5%53%44%2...exf442%
1600–1999121k1.9%51%45%2...exf442%
2000+19k0.9%47%48%2...exf443%
All252k1.5%52%45%2...exf442%

What usually comes next

The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.

2...exf442%3.Nf389%3.Bc46%2...Nc623%3.Nf385%2...d613%3.Nf382%3.fxe57%2...d510%3.exd563%3.Nf320%3.fxe56%2.f4

Main variations

  • Black keeps the extra pawn. White breaks with h4 or plays Bc4 and O-O.

    17k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 49%, 3% were drawn, Black won 48%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5

  • White breaks up the pawn chain at once. The knight on e5 is strong, and both kings are a little exposed.

    147 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 27%, 7% were drawn, Black won 67%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Nf6

  • Black keeps the pawn chain with the bishop behind it; White castles and plays d4 and c3.

    307 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 38%, 4% were drawn, Black won 57%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.O-O d6

  • White gives a whole knight for a huge attack down the f-file. Romantic, sharp and well worth knowing even as Black.

    982 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 50%, 3% were drawn, Black won 47%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.O-O gxf3 6.Qxf3

  • Black prepares ...g5 while stopping Ne5. Solid and popular.

    19k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 52%, 4% were drawn, Black won 44%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d6

  • Black gives the pawn back to open lines for the pieces.

    10k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 51%, 4% were drawn, Black won 46%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5

  • The bishop stops White from castling short and sets a trap on e5.

    7,867 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 50%, 3% were drawn, Black won 48%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5

  • Black answers a gambit with a gambit and fights for the center.

    26k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 47%, 4% were drawn, Black won 49%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5

Common traps

2...Bc5 3.fxe5??

Taking the pawn with 3.fxe5?? runs into 3...Qh4+: 4.Ke2 Qxe4 is mate, while 4.g3 Qxe4+ forks the king and the h1 rook. Play 3.Nf3 first.

Fewer than 6 games in our data reached the end of this line.

Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.fxe5 Qh4+ 4.Ke2 Qxe4#(ends in mate)

Advertisement

At club level

At club level the King’s Gambit is all about tactics on the e1–h4 diagonal and on f7. The trap below works for Black against the most natural White move in the Classical Declined.

Practice it

The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.

Practice as WhitePractice as Black

Related openings